Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-05-20

1OTkeTS except
by adoption. They are gathered from all
parts of the country and are bound tOgeth-
er by two articles of faith: First, that wit
| il better than money, and second, that
New York is the greatest city In the world.
The fact that the new conner always wore
| immense long legged boots when there was
suggestion OF dampness IN the atmoS-
phere, and a sealskin vest winter ana SUM
mer, was accepted with languld smile,
and his position as editor and proprietor OF
the Te.rds Sittiags, and therefore possible
purchaser OF literary wares, rather militia
ted against him than otherwise. The true
Bohemian never tOadies to the proprietor
and is prone TO regard the publisher with
suspicious eye except on salary day Inc
indifference lasted but short time, how
ever. One morning it was announced that
Col. Knox had become involved in adlSpute
with Dennis Shehan, the sculptor, one OF
Bohemia : inner circle. During the dispute
Shehan had cast an aspersiOn upon the fair
fame of Texas and the colonel had de
mandcd that the insult to the Lone Star
State should be wiped out with blood
lie had challenged Shehan to fight duel
and the sculptor had accepted. lndlVld-
ually and collectively Bohemia prlcked up
its ears. Here was something to talk
about For a few days the papers were
inll of it, The principals had mysterious
ly disappeared, and Hugh Farrar McDer-
mott, the laureate of Jersey City, who had
been a witness Ia the discussion, was ON
inously silent. Everybody WAS talking
of Col. John Annoy Knox, the
Texas fire eater, and copies OF
T,.rGS SittiRqs were at n premium. As eX-
element was at fever heat, il was whls-
pcred that the bloody conflict was to take
place on Fddlers' Island, q strip of sand
Just off ROckaway beach, ut daybreak. On
the eveutlul morning there was reporter
behind every sand hill on the beach and
the principals did not turn up. Slowly 1t
dawned upon Bohemia that he had been
made the victim of practical Joke. Then
the laugh began. Col. Knox, Of Texas
was carried into the very center of the Sc
lect circle and he has remained there ever
since 4 leader in all the fun, one of the
hardest workers and popular fellows in the
great metropolis. He became Col. Knox,
of New York, at one bound.
Subsequently, both by his work a5 an
educator and playwright, he proved his
title to fellowship in the guild Of GOtham's
choice spirits, and he enhanced his pOpu-
larity by always giving the boys some
thing new to talk about, some new story
to tell His eccentricitieS of dress were
received without murmur, and he was
rather liked the better for his independ
ence. He came back from Europe not
l.. tf.l naA 1n,T
inches In diameter This he carries in the
pocket of his sealSkin vest attached to a
fine gold chain. Going up Broadway the
other night tramp aCcOSted him and
asked the time. The colonel slowly
drew out the watch. ''Half-past twelve"
he said calmly; but the sramp paid
no attention; his eyes were rivited
on the time piece, and popped out his head
like Holsters "NO," lie muttered in a
scared voice, Il don't want to drink, Ii
my eyes are a-magnityin' like that I'd
bCtter''-AnOther glance ut the watch
convinced the poor wretch that he had the
tremenS, and no mistake, and leaving the
sentence unfinished he fled up the street.
Another of Knox's tricks which caused
some excitement for time was his secret
OltltT OF Ilt IbOOu NHdll EATldDlS1tl iblONutl-
hood His friends received announcements
that they had been elected members of this
mystic order, and on the bottom OF the
card WIS an injunction to keep this
card where you can get at it readily
With lively recolectiOnS of the famous
Peanut club in their minds, in which
every member was obliged to display the
ivory peanut, the emblem of the club,
when called upon by Il fellow member, or,
failing, tostand treat, Col KnOx's victims
kept the receipt of the cards a profound
secret, and their efforts to hump their
friends on the subject and, above all, their
uneasineSs in the presence of OF Col. Knox,
was source of no end of amusement.
The Colonel insists that it is serious or
ganizatiOn, but his friends doubt it. His
paper is his hobby. His constant cry is
for ideas" An Irishman by birth, edu-
Gated in Texas, he has made a thorough
New Yorker, cosmopolitan and 4 good
| fellow in the broadcast sense OF the phrase.
ALLAN FORMAN.